Negotiators managed to expand agreed text from half to four-fifths over the past year, building upon the foundation established by the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. Although Manila sought to wrap up the maritime pact during its 2026 tenure, differing national stances mean a final deal is not expected until at least 2027. The code focuses on establishing practical conflict management mechanisms rather than resolving overlapping territorial claims among China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. In parallel discussions, the summit established a pathway to conditionally restore Myanmar's political representation based on strict adherence to a re…
Key points
Differing national positions prevented an early pact, leaving Singapore positioned to con…: Differing national positions prevented an early pact, leaving Singapore positioned to conclude the talks during its 2027 chairmanship.
Multiple ASEAN member states, as well as non-claimant Indonesia in its North Natuna water…: Multiple ASEAN member states, as well as non-claimant Indonesia in its North Natuna waters, continue to confront maritime friction with China.
The bloc established a conditional, progress-based framework to potentially restore Myanm…: The bloc established a conditional, progress-based framework to potentially restore Myanmar's political representation if violence halts and dialogue begins.
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Negotiations on the long-awaited South China Sea Code of Conduct remain unfinished despite substantial progress, as ASEAN leaders also discuss Myanmar's political crisis and transboundary haze.
MANILA: ASEAN and China have reached provisional agreement on about 80 per cent of the negotiating text for a long-awaited South China Sea Code of Conduct, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said on Sunday (Nov 15).
Speaking at a press conference after the first day of the 49th ASEAN Leaders' Summit in Manila, Lazaro said the parties had agreed to continue working constructively to conclude negotiations on an effective and substantive code as soon as possible.
“Definitely, there is no conclusion yet," Lazaro told reporters.
Lazaro said differing positions among ASEAN member states and China, as well as the time needed for negotiations, had prevented the agreement from being finalised this year.
"If we were given probably another five to six months, we can finish that," she said.
The Philippines, which holds ASEAN's rotating chairmanship this year, had made concluding the negotiations by the end of 2026 a key priority.
Lawmakers are operating under a strict six-year timeline to rescue trust funds from depletion and protect millions of beneficiaries from steep automatic payout cuts. Newly elected federal leaders now face mounting pressure to choose between generating revenue through higher payroll levies or preserving recently enacted tax relief. The outcome will dictate how heavily high-earning workers are taxed compared to the tax burdens placed on retired seniors.
Romanian military jets scrambled repeatedly as maritime attacks spilled into Romanian territorial waters near a crucial export corridor connecting the Danube river to the Black Sea. Bucharest is now turning to NATO allies to secure surveillance and counter-drone assets to protect critical international shipping lanes affected by the wider regional conflict.
Facing a looming December 6 deadline, Israeli party leaders are locked in high-stakes negotiations to assemble a viable 61-seat majority following the October 27 election. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot holds the initial presidential mandate to build a coalition, while caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for a joint leadership pact centered on national security. However, deep divisions over military service exemptions and partnerships with Palestinian-led factions continue to block straightforw…